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US, Oman talk $2.1 bln defense deal

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:51:28 +0300

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday discussed a $2.1 billion deal with Omani leaders to supply an American-made air-defence system to the Arab state facing Iran in the Gulf.

Saudi ship owner pays pirates $ 2.6 m ransom

Wed, 15 May 2013 03:00:00 +0300

The Saudi owner of an Algerian cargo ship whose crew were held by Somali pirates for 10 months admitted paying $ 2.6 million to free them in November 2011, AFP reported yesterday quoting an Algerian newspaper.The MV Blida, carrying 17 Algerians, six Ukrainians, two Filipinos, one Jordanian and one Indonesian, was captured by a gang of heavily armed pirates on Jan. 1, 2011, on its way from Oman to Tanzania. Two of hostages were released for health reasons in October that year, with the rest freed the following month when a bag full of cash was parachuted from a plane. ...

Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes Oman -USGS

Sat, 11 May 2013 05:27:35 +0300

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - A 6.3-magnitude earthquakestruck in the Gulf nation of Oman on Saturday near the northerncity of Al Khasab, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake had a depth of 21 miles (33 km) and was centered116 miles (186 km) east of al Khasab, the agency said. (Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Kadhafi family in Oman to stay out of politics: Libya

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 20:38:03 +0300

Oman has reassured Libya that members of killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi's family who are staying in the sultanate will not interfere in Libyan politics, Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdelaziz told AFP on Sunday.

Iran's football team to play friendly against Oman

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:07:03 +0300

Tehran, April 16 (IANS) Iran's national football team will face Oman in a friendly match May 22 in Muscat.

Yemen border being fenced

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:00:00 +0300

Saudi Arabia is tightening security along its southern border with Yemen by building a 1,800 km fence, spanning from the Red Sea coast to the border with Oman.Standing three meters high, the fence will consist of a network of sandbags and pipelines, fitted with electronic detection systems.The Kingdom began constructing the fence in 2003, but stopped in 2004 after protests from the Yemeni government. Yemen cited a 2000 border treaty between the two countries that clearly delineated the dividing line. ...

1.4 million candidates appear for JEE exam

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:27:26 +0300

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) An estimated 1.4 million candidates appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main in off-line mode Sunday across 81 cities, including Dubai, Riyad and Muscat and Bahrain city.

Oman to shift to Friday-Saturday weekend

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 21:37:46 +0300

DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Oman will shift to aFriday-Saturday weekend to align itself more closely withbanking and trade elsewhere in the world, its ruler SultanQaboos bin Said announced on Saturday. At present Oman, like neighbouring Saudi Arabia, follows aThursday-Friday weekend. But other wealthy oil-exportingcountries in the Gulf take off on Friday and Saturday, and manyOmani financial institutions including the stock market havealready moved to that schedule. The change will take effect on May 1, state news agency ONAquoted Sultan Qaboos as saying. ...

Libya Will Not Extradite Gaddafi’s Son

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:55:02 +0300

Cairo/London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The daughter of Muammar Gaddafi has been granted asylum in Oman after being expelled from Algeria because he behaviour angered her hosts, according to press reports confirmed by Libya’s foreign minister.Aisha Gaddafi, a 37-year old lawyer and former UN goodwill ambassador, joined her mother Safia Farkash and her brothers Hannibal and Mohammed, who are also reported to have recently relocated to Oman and received political asylum. ...

8,000 students to participate in Jeddah marathon

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:02:00 +0300

More than 8,000 intermediate and secondary school students are expected to participate in the 10th annual marathon.The event will be organized by Al-Bir Charitable Society in association with Mobily in Jeddah on April 30.“People from different parts of the Kingdom will participate in the marathon including Saudi champions who have won prizes in national, regional and international levels,” said an Al-Bir official. Runners from Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Ethiopia, Kenya, France, US and UAE will also participate, organizers said. ...

Oman signs oil, gas exploration deal with U.S. PetroTel

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:36:11 +0300

MUSCAT, March 27 (Reuters) - Oman has signed a three-yearoil and gas exploration and production sharing agreement withU.S.-based private company PetroTel, the oil ministry said in astatement on Wednesday. "Under the agreement the company will explore for oil andnatural gas in Blocks 39 and 67 which occupy an area of 13,379km2 and is located in Dhofar," the statement said. Oman produced an average of 918,000 barrels per day of oilin 2012, up 4 percent from 2011, according to governmentstatistics. ...

Oman says Gaddafi's family members granted asylum

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:18:57 +0300

MUSCAT/DOHA (Reuters) - Oman has granted asylum to some members of Muammar Gaddafi's family, two of whom are wanted by Interpol, an Omani official said on Monday, but Libya said it was too early to talk about any possible extradition requests. Algeria said last week that the widow of the late Libyan leader and three of his children had left its territory long ago, without saying where they had gone. They had sought refuge in Algeria in 2011 after Libyan rebels reached the capital Tripoli during the armed uprising that ended his 42-year rule. ...

Oman ruler pardons jailed dissidents

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:20:30 +0300

It is not known how many prisoners are due to be freed, but activists say courts had sentenced at least 50 dissidents.

India turns to Kingdom and Oman to slake its crude thirst

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 03:00:00 +0300

India has decided to resort to Saudi Arabia and Oman for its crude purchases after New Delhi cut its oil imports from Iran by 21.8 percent since the beginning of the year, sources from the oil industry reported.According to two informed sources, India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) bought crude oil from the Abu Safah oilfield for the first time, as well as from Omani, to lessen its dependence on Iranian oil.Abu Safah is an offshore field of Arab medium crude that Bahrain shares with Saudi Arabia, while Saudi Aramco handles marketing through Ras Tanura. ...

Saudi-Oman road link to boost trade, aid pilgrims

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:30:00 +0300

Saudis and expats will be able to drive straight to Oman by the end of this year when a 592-km road linking the two GCC states is completed.The landmark project, which passes through the Empty Quarter — one of the largest deserts in the world — will cost SR 2 billion and will reduce the distance between the two countries from 2,000 km to 1,200 km. It will facilitate transport of Haj pilgrims, tourists and goods.“The Saudi-Oman road link is expected to be completed by the end of 2013,” said Khalil Al-Khonji, chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ...

KSA ranks 44th in female corporate managers

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 03:24:00 +0300

Saudi Arabia ranks 44th globally and fifth at the level of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in a list that evaluates countries with women serving on company boards and top managerial levels.According to the latest report released by MyHiringClub.com, Kuwait ranks 35th globally (first at the GCC level), Oman 37th, Bahrain 40th, UAE 42nd and Saudi Arabia 44th.GCC economists said local business community is need of women’s participation in company boardrooms, particularly following the appointment of 30 women at the Shoura Council. ...

Prince Charles to visit KSA

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:15:00 +0300

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit Saudi Arabia next week, according to a statement released by the British Embassy yesterday. The visit will be part of their nine-day regional trip that begins March 11, with stops in Amman, Doha, Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah.The visit to Saudi Arabia aims to strengthen the United Kingdom’s bilateral relations with a key partner in the region, relations which are underpinned by the close personal friendship that exists between the Prince of Wales and members of the Saudi royal family. ...

UAE court 'upholds life terms for 10 pirates'

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:19:39 +0300

A UAE appeals court on Monday upheld life imprisonments handed in May last year to 10 pirates convicted of hijacking a ship east of Oman in the Arabian Sea in 2011, state news agency WAM reported.

Oman thrash Fiji 7-3 in hockey

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 13:21:18 +0300

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Thirtysixth-ranked Oman men's team beat 70th-ranked Fiji 7-3 in a hard fought match on the seventh and last day of the Hockey World League Round 2 here Sunday.

Hockey World League: India crush Oman 9-1

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:40:30 +0300

New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) India put on a dominating performance to crush Oman 9-1 for their second consecutive win in the men's Hero World Hockey League Round 2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Wednesday.

Fears for health of 30 jailed Oman hunger strikers

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:29:18 +0300

A member of Oman's consultative council voiced concern Wednesday for the health of 30 jailed activists who have been on hunger strike for the past 12 days, as activists said some of them were in hospital.

$ 2.5 bn UAE aid to lift Bahrain

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 03:00:00 +0300

The UAE yesterday signed an agreement with Bahrain under which it will donate $ 2.5 billion to its neighbor as part of a Gulf aid program to it and Oman, the BNA said.Under the memorandum of understanding signed in Manama by the government of Bahrain and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the UAE will release the aid package over a period of 10 years, “$ 250 million annually,” BNA said.The grant will be directly managed by the Abu Dhabi fund, BNA said. ...

17 jailed Oman activists on hunger strike: report

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 10:13:20 +0300

Seventeen jailed Omani cyber activists have begun a hunger strike in protest against delays in their appeals, local media reported,

Lost European tourists rescued from Empty Quarter desert

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 03:05:00 +0300

The Border Guard in the southern part of the Eastern Province rescued seven European tourists and two Omani nationals who had lost their way in the Empty Quarter desert and entered Saudi Arabia. They were found in bitterly cold weather without fuel, food and water and close to death, according to a local newspaper.Col. Khalid Khalifa Al-Arqoubi, spokesman for Eastern Province’s Border Guard, said a patrol spotted two four-wheel vehicles near the Saudi-Omani border with the Europeans and the two Omani drivers.The tourists were on a trip from Oman. ...

Oman to curb reliance on expats, raise minimum pay for nationals

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 03:26:00 +0300

Oman’s government will limit the number of foreign workers and sharply raise the minimum wage for locals in a drive to increase employment of Omani citizens, state news agency ONA reported.A statement by the Council of Ministers, carried by ONA and seen by Reuters yesterday, said the government would aim to limit foreign workers to 33 percent of Oman’s total population.The minimum monthly wage for Omanis in the private sector will jump to 325 rials ($ 845) this July from the current 200 rials, ONA quoted the council as saying. ...

SRK to perform in Muscat on V-Day eve

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:04:18 +0300

New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is set to shake a leg in Muscat on the eve of Valentine's Day.

EU invites GCC to join hazardous waste network

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:00:00 +0300

The European Union (EU) has invited the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to join an international network to counter the risks posed by hazardous waste produced by various industries.This invitation was extended during a conference in Abu Dhabi. Participants included officials and representatives from the EU, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.The conference concluded last week. It was co-hosted by the UAE and the European Commission.The conference was opened by Ambassador Adam Kulach who represents the European Union in the Gulf region. ...

Indian firm selected by GCCIA to implement regional electricity marketing management system

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:00:00 +0300

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) has selected the firm Financial Technologies of India to implement its electricity marketing management system in the region.The Alkhobar-based GCCIA is a joint stock company subscribed by the six Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.According to the deal, the Indian company will provide its product and customize it to the GCCIA requirements, the Saudi Press Agency reported. ...

Iran starts navy drills in Strait of Hormuz: IRNA

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:26:00 +0300

DUBAI - Iran started on Friday six days of naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz, the official IRNA news agency reported, maneuvers aimed at showcasing its military capabilities in what is a vital oil and gas shipping route.Naval commander Habibollah Sayyari said the "Velayat 91" drills would last until Wednesday across an area of about 1 million square kilometers in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and northern parts of the Indian Ocean, IRNA said. ...

GCC residents show evolving saving sentiments

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 03:00:00 +0300

Residents of Qatar have shown the biggest decrease in savings sentiments, while residents of Bahrain have shown the biggest overall increase, closely followed by the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia, according to the results of the 2012 National Bonds GCC Savings Index, released yesterday by National Bonds Corporation PJSC, the UAE-based Shariah-compliant savings scheme and investment company. ...

Oman holds first local elections

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 13:20:58 +0300

Omanis went to the polls on Saturday for the Gulf sultanate's first ever local elections though the 192 elected councillors will have only advisory powers.

Oman buys 12 Eurofighter Typhoons

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:18:21 +0300

London, Dec 21 (IANS) Oman has decided to buy 12 Eurofighter Typhoons, becoming the second Gulf country to opt for the four-nation warjet.

Oman appeals court upholds sentences over social media posts

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:33:36 +0300

MUSCAT, Dec 6 (Reuters) - An Omani court of appeal hasupheld jail sentences for six people over social media poststhat a previous court ruled amounted to "slander" against thecountry's ruler, the state Oman News Agency has reported. The defendants were each sentenced in July to jail terms of12 to 18 months and fined 1,000 Omani rials ($2,600) for the postings on Twitter and Facebook. The rulings were part of a crackdown on dissenters afterOman quelled its own version of Arab Spring protests last year. ...

Ajman, Oman discuss relations

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:48:18 +0300

Ajman, Nov 28 (IANS/WAM) Ajman, one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman have reviewed their existing relations and explored ways to strengthen them.

Survey says private sector salaries will rise

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0300

Saudi and expatriate workers can expect to see their average annual salaries jump by 5.8 percent in 2013, according a survey of 66 companies in the Kingdom by Dubai-based Aon Hewitt consulting firm. The report is based on answers provided by 500 Gulf companies from 26 sectors. Overall, a 6.08 percent salary increase is forecast in 2013 for the Middle East, with an average salary hike of 5.4 percent for the GCC. The survey was conducted in nine countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. ...

DIFF reveals Gulf Voice line-up

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:00:00 +0300

Films from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman make up the Dubai International Film Festival's Gulf Voices segment this year.

Firms with more expatriates than Saudis to pay fees

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0300

Saudi Arabia is stepping up efforts to lower unemployment among its citizens by imposing a fee on private sector firms that employ more foreigners than Saudis, the Labor Ministry said yesterday. The policy, which will be implemented Thursday, will require private companies with a majority of foreign workers to pay a fee of SR 2,400 annually for each excess foreigner. The fines will not be applied for foreigners with Saudi mothers, citizens of other Gulf Cooperation Council countries — the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain — or household help, the ministry said. ...

Saudi firms projected to raise staff salaries

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0300

The average annual salaries of Saudi and expatriate workers is expected to jump by 5.8 percent in 2013, according a survey of 66 companies in the Kingdom by Dubai-based Aon Hewitt consulting firm. The salary raises in Saudi Arabia were larger than expected increases in Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. But the Kingdom trailed badly behind Egypt, which expects a 9.5 percent increase in wages, and Jordan, which anticipates a 6.6 percent rise in salary for 2013, according to the survey. Bahrain’s private companies raised salaries this year by 4.4 percent and anticipates increases by 4.7 percent for 2013. ...

Rebels crawling while opposition remains divided

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0300

PERHAPS Assad will fall from his chair and the opposition will still be occupied by its differences over council leadership and chairs. Then the rebels would have taken the leadership to another realm. Or maybe the opposition abroad becomes fragmented into various categories and the liberated land ends up divided. After the meeting in Oman, the Doha meeting partly covered up the cracks in the dam, but the large councils remain competing against each other. Time is running out for Syria and the risks are growing. ...

Saudi spending on advertising exceeds SR 4.4 bn in 9 months

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 03:00:00 +0300

Advertising spending in Saudi Arabia topped SR 4.4 billion ($ 1 billion) during the first three quarters of the year and accounted for 29.9 percent of total GCC ad spending. Numbers released by the Pan-Arab Research Center (PARC) show the United Arab Emirates were the biggest spenders at $ 1.1 billion, contributing to GCC totals by 32 percent, while Kuwait spent $ 759 million or 21 percent and Qatar spent $ 340 million or 9.4 percent of GCC totals. Oman and Bahrain contributed 5.5 percent and 1. ...